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Cox, Paul

Bouteloua eriopoda

Bouteloua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr.

Black Grama

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Synonym(s): Chondrosum eriopodum

USDA Symbol: BOER4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A tufted grass with 16-24 in., sometimes taller, wiry, white-woolly culms becoming widely spreading. Ascending spikes, 4 or 5 per culm, are each about an inch long.

From the Image Gallery

1 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Fruit Type: Caryopsis
Size Notes: Up to about 30 inches tall, often shorter.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Yellow , Green
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , KS , NM , NV , OK , TX , UT , WY
Native Distribution: E. Mohave Desert to CO, OK, TX & n. Mex.; reported from WY
Native Habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas, Hillsides, Slopes

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Dry, rocky soils. Limestone-based, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay

Find Seed or Plants

Order seed of this species from Native American Seed and help support the Wildflower Center.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Bouteloua eriopoda in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Bouteloua eriopoda in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Bouteloua eriopoda

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-12-16
Research By: TWC Staff

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